Rahul Gandhi Reminds PM Modi of 'Shameful' Epstein Connection and Capitulation in US Trade Deal

New Delhi: Leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha, Congress's Rahul Gandhi, has hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi who recently criticised the party for its youth wing's shirtless demonstration at the AI Summit in New Delhi.

At a gathering in Meerut, Modi had said that the Congress's politics was “gandi aur nangi" – dirty and shameless. Five protesters have so far been arrested for the peaceful agitation.

Gandhi defended the move and in a Hindi post on X, hit out at Modi.

"Modi ji, do you talk about shame? Let me tell you what shame is," Gandhi began.

"Your name, your minister's, and your friend's name appearing together in the Epstein files, being linked to such a vile criminal—this is shameful," he said.

Gandhi was referring to the mentions of Modi, Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri and industrialist Anil Ambani in the correspondence of the US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

"The trade deal you've made with America, in which you've sold out the country—this is shameful," Gandhi said.

Many have said that India's trade deal with the US is one-sided in favour of the US – especially now that the US top court has said that Trump's move to impose tariffs were illegal.

Gandhi added:

"You've handed over our country's data.
"You've wiped out the farmers.
"You've ruined the textile industry—this is shameful."

He then mentioned Adani and the US department of justice's case against him.

"The entire country knows that the ongoing case against Adani in America has kept you up at night—because it's a case against the BJP and your financial architecture. For 14 months, no action has been taken on it—this is shameful," he said.

"Modi ji, you do whatever you deem appropriate for your friends Anil Ambani, Adani, and yourself. The lion-hearted warriors of the Congress party and I will continue to defend the country—we won't retreat even an inch," Gandhi said.

Other Congress leaders have also backed the youth wing over the protest.

Party leader Jairam Ramesh has written on X that the party "condemns in the strongest possible terms the brazenly illegal arrest of the IYC President and Youth Congress workers for what was clearly a peaceful and legitimate protest."

Like Gandhi, Ramesh also noted, "The PM is clearly rattled by the disclosures in the Epstein files. He is also facing the mounting anger of farmers due to his betrayal of their interests and his surrender to President Trump on the trade deal. This is nothing but the politics of harassment. The PM is desperate to divert attention away from the uncomfortable truths about him and his regime that the people of our country have recognised."

"Those who are afraid intimidate. The INC will not be deterred. It will continue exposing this government for the blatant lies it propagates. The INC will unflinchingly fight this Murder Of Democracy in India," he added.

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